little words

CHILDHOOD, FAMILY, MOTHERHOOD

Sometimes parenting (or cleaning/organizing a house with) young children feels Sisyphean: that I, just like this mythological man, am striving to push this boulder up a hill, only to watch it crush my toes and roll to the bottom where I must start the process again. Disheartening, I know. But, think of it: the repetitious training involved without any immediate signal of reception, and just when you expect a breakthrough moment, the expected unexpected occurs returning you to the beginning (at least it certainly seems that way); it can leave any parent  (and myself in particular) feeling, well — desperately futile. Mark often jokes that you all (blog readers) get the “cream” of our little life: the best parts, without the rubbish. For the most part, it’s true. However, the hope, the truth, the place where the metaphor to Sisyphus breaks down, is that I am not condemned to a life of futility and frustration, and this “cream,” these glimmers in the mundane, remind me to laugh and to thank the Lord for these little ones and what He’s doing in me through this seemingly ineffective process. On that note, here’s some more “cream”: happy 2009.

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Knowing the time is approaching, we’ve been asking Liam what instrument he’d be interested in learning to play, the violin or piano. Last year he determined to learn the violin, but recently when Mark posed him with the same question, Liam responded like this:

“I’d really like to learn to play the electric guitar, but most of all I want to play the GLOCKENSPIEL.”

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Burke (storming into my room, abrupt and annoyed): “Blythe told me ‘I’m sorry’ FOUR times, and I told her ‘I forgive you’ THREE TIMES! (humph.)”

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Burke (pointing to my protruding belly button): “Look! There’s Olive’s penis.”

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Blythe: “I so FUNny.”

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I’m brushing my teeth in my bedroom, trying to multitask in some way.

Liam (looking at me in all seriousness): “Now Mom, we’ve talked about this. Remember? You brush your teeth in the bathroom.”

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(It’s apparent after these two blurbs, I need to clarify relational titles for little Burke.) After meeting my brother Dave and his girlfriend for lunch the other day, Burke exclaims, “But I thought we were going to Dave’s HUSband’s house!”

After telling Burke something he didn’t want to hear, he threatens, “if you don’t ____, I won’t be your mom ANYmore.” “But Burke, YOU’re not my mom.” “Oh, YES. I. AM. (as he stomps out of the room, arms crossed).”

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While the kids and I were Christmas shopping, we spoke briefly with this saleslady, who at some point mentioned that she doubted she would receive anything at all this Christmas. Later that night Liam approached me to say, rather tenderly, “mom, you know, I think we need to give that lady a Christmas present, so she can have at least one this year.” (We couldn’t find her again, though.)

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Burke has been praying frequently and unsolicited for people to be healed.

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Blythe: “More amen.”

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Comments

  1. Have fun raising your kids! Mine are in college and as cliche as it sounds, the time goes sooooo fast. As for the music references, very funny!
    I am a music teacher and blog mostly on music education and piano. You may find some entries helpful or humorous. sfrack.wordpress.com
    Enjoy. And keep pushing your boulders to the top of the hill. When you get there you’ll realize it was worth it and the view is spectacular!

  2. It’s much easier to blog about the glockenspiel than it is to write an actual post about the fact that, let’s just give a hypothetical, in my haste to get away for some alone time today I backed the minivan into a parked car in our parking lot and then cried until my face ached at my carelessness. Or that I finally really cleaned our bathtub today–for only the second time since we moved in in July.
    Hm, strangely cathartic when I do it on your blog.

    1. oh patti. I think twice is pretty impressive, especially considering that you’re about to pop a baby any day. I don’t know if I would cry harder about the fact that I wrecked my car or that it happened during much treasured and probably needed alone time. I’m really sorry.

  3. Keep serving up the “cream”! This time is NOT futile, but I know you know that. As always, these little vignettes into your lives will become more and more precious as the years go by. I have a few “precious memories” stored up that I serve to my guys to this day!

  4. Oh Burkie….that made me laugh. =) Hope your year is wonderful!

    1. Thank you Steph and Pam. Yes, I’m sure my kids will enjoy hearing/reading these treasures one day — they never tire of hearing stories, especially about themselves!

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